Toy vehicular system



NOV. 25, 1952 HOFF- TOY VEHICULAR SYSTEM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 12, 1948 /IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/I/III/l/I/II/L Nov. 25, 1952 p 2,618,888

' TOY VEHICULAR SYSTEM Filed Oct. 12, 1948 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2 Til E2722? (/f/M/ /'Z Hon Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE TOY VEHICULAR SYSTEM Jean M. Hofi, Evanston, Ill.

Application October 12, 1948, Serial No. 54,155 7 Claims. (01. 46-45) The present invention relates to a toy vehicular system and more particularly to a permanent magnet toy, or a toy vehicle carrying a permanent magnet, which is moved along a base surface to follow a path defined by ferro-magnetic material disposed beneath the surface.

The toy of the present invention comprises enerally a permanent magnet, or a toy vehicle, figure or the like carrying a permanent magnet, which is moved across a supporting base along a definite and predetermined path without the employment of visible propelling or guiding means. The base surface may be perfectly plane with no obstructions, guide rails, or the like, to maintain the toy upon the base. The toy operates in accordance with certain electrical and electromagnetic principles and affords an educational and amusing illustration of these phenomena. A plurality of vehicles or objects may be moved across a supporting base surface simultaneously in predetermined sequence and at any desired interval. The path followed by the vehicle or similar objects is flexible and may be varied at will by the user.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a permanent magnet mounted on resilient supporting means, such as a leaf spring or a plurality of bristle filaments, is rapidly vibrated upon a plane surface by means of an alternatin current. The magnet is so supported by the resilient supporting means that these vibrations cause the magnet, or the vehicle or object to which the magnet is attached, to vibrate in accordance with the frequency of the current to move or travel across the base surface. The path of the magnet so moved across the supporting base surface is defined and determined by magnetic material, such as a ferromagnetic wire or strip, disposed beneath the base surface. The base is preferably formed of non-magnetic material so that there is no substantial interference between the magnetic field of the permanent magnet and the magnetic material disposed beneath the surface.

The permanent magnet may be vibrated by any desired suitable means, as for example, by the field of an alternating electric current flowing through a conductor disposed beneath the base or by mechanical vibration of the supporting base itself. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electrical conductor attached to a suitable source of low voltage, high amperage alternating current is disposed beneath a supporting base surface. A permanent magnet when placed in the vicinity of the alternating current will vibrate at a frequency determined by the frequency of the circuit and the resiliently supported magnet will be propelled along the surface, following a path defined by permanent magnet material, such as a soft iron wire, disposed beneath the surface.

In an alternative form of the present invention, the supporting base is resiliently supported and is vibrated vertically by means of an electromagnet disposed beneath the surface and acting upon an armature of magnetic material, which may be secured to the under surface of the supporting base within the field of flux of the magnet. The base is vibrated by constantly reversing or varying the intensity of the magnetic field set up by the electromagnet. As a result, permanent magnets, resiliently supported on the vibrating base, are caused to vibrate with the base and to move thereacross to follow a course determined by magnetic material disposed beneath the base.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a toy in which a vibrating permanent magnet resiliently supported upon a base is moved across the base to follow a path defined by ferromagnetic material disposed be neath the base.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a toy vehicular system in which a vehicle carrying a permanent magnet is freely and resiliently mounted on a supporting base and the vehicle is moved across the supporting base surface in a predetermined path by vibrating the magnet and guiding the vehicle by ferromagnetic material disposed beneath the surface. a

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a toy vehicular system in which a toy vehicle carrying a permanent magnet is resiliently mounted for movement upon the surface of a supporting base and the permanent magnet is vibrated by means of an alternating current passed through a conductordisposed beneath the base surface, the vehicle being guided in a predetermined path by ferromagnetic material disposed beneath the base.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a toy vehicular system in which a toy vehicle carrying a permanent magnet is resiliently mounted upon a supporting base which is vibrated to move the vehicle'across the surface thereof, the vehicle being guided-by ferromagnetic material disposed beneath the base surface. 3

Other and further important objects of the hicular system of Figure 1;

Figure'B i fla side 'elevational view of a permanent' magnet suitable for employment with the system of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, crosssectional view taken along the plane IV TV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified: I

form of resiliently mounted permanent magnet suitable for use with the system of the present invention; a

Figure 6 is a side elevational View with parts broken away of a modified form of the toy vehicular system of the present inventions- Figure"? is a sectional view, with parts shown irrelevatiori, taken along the plane V'IL-VII of Figure 6; and a Figure 8 is aside el'evational view of a toy ,vehicle embodying a resiliently 'r'nounted'per- "'man'entmagnet in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

shown on the drawings:

ff' 'InfFigur'e' l',ref erencenumeral I refers genrally' 'to a'supporting' baseformedof any suitable sheet material, preferably a non-magnetic f"'sli"e e't"material such as aluminum, brass,'-wood, cardboard 'orfiberboard; 'As best shown in Figure 2, a'strip or wire of magnetic material, 1" s'uchfa's aniiron 'or' other ferromagnetic material, disposed beneath the'surface of the supporting "basef IUlto define the pattern or path along which ""the electromagnet'for vehicle 12- travels in a manner" to be hereinafter more fully described.

insu1ated"el'ectrical conductor l3- is atl' tamed to a suitable source of high amperage, f aw" voltage "alternating electricffcurrentw As "show'ri inFi'gpre'l, this currentm'ay conveniently be supplied through a-transfor'mer'f" I4 connected to a source of household current through l'ead "wires 1'5. Preferab-lyythe transformer M converts a household ilO-volt current to a current :having a voltage of less than l"vol t*at-an-am- "f'perage" of from 50'to 100 l haveffound that "such acurrent is-particularly desirable to proi new the vibration-of" the magnet f2.- Su'ch at ourrent is also "desirable since it obvia-ts' the possibility-of electrical shock to -the-'-operator.-

, I prefer to employ the bristle-type resilient mounting for' the permanent magn'et as shown inFigsx-3 aha-"4 of the drawings amt-shown as m ountd in'a-toy vehiClein Fi gur'8 Of 'the drawngsg InFigureS the magnet consi'stsof a per- 'anent magnet body "'l6,preferably formed of a highener'gy-magnetic alloy; such a's an Alnico ma'gnet formed from alloys" of iron, aluminum, mickel andcobalt.'- The magnet 'b'odymay suitably be cylindrical in shape, although a this configuration is not necessary; A pair-pf bristle supports J] are mounted on the outerperipheral surface of the magnet body 16 as best shown in --Figure 4.- These bristlesupports I' I comprise a plurality :of bristle filaments I80. grouped as -indicated; at It? in Figures 3 and land extending beyond the confines-of the magnet body I6 to T provide-resilient supporting means'for maintaining the magnet body in spaced relation" above the uppersurface of the support 10 as shown in'Figure As shown in Figure 3, the bristles are inclined rearwardly and the center of the bristle mounting I1 is placed slightly forward of the center of gravity of the permanent magnet body [6, while the bristle filaments i8a, being directed 5 rearwardly, support the magnet assembly with its weight distributed evenly on the bristle unit I 8 as a whole. Thus when the magnet I6 is vibrated, asby being placed inthe alternating electrical field of conductor l3, the magnet mayv 10 move forwardly due to the ease with which the bristles may be bent toward the rear but may not be moved rearwardly since the inclination of the brushe prevents this movement. If desired, forward movement of the magnet may also be aided by a slightly downward tilt of the forwardportion of the magnet body It. This tiltplaces the forward pole of the magnet in closer proximity to th electrical field and the ferromagnetic strip inducing greater vibration and better guiding. Also, as shown in Figure 4, the bristles are directed laterally outward from the cylindrical magnet body It. This outward inclination to the bristles forms a wider base for the magnet unit and imparts stabiilty to the assembly as it moves across the surface Hla.

In the modified form of the permanent magnet assembly shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the permanent magnet body It is provided with I a leaf spring-type resilient support I9. The leaf spring I9 which may be formed of a spring metal, is'bent downwardly to project beyond the circular end faces of the cylindrical magnet body l6 and radially from the magnet body I6 to provide resilient supporting arms 29. The 'rearwardinclination of the spring arms. 20. aids the 'forward movement of the magnet while pre- --'venting its rear-ward movement as hereinbefore describedinconnection with the bristles 3 as sh'own -in Figures 3 and 4. a -In Figure 8 of the drawings, the permanent magnet body [6 is shown in dotted: outline as contained in a toy vehicular body 2| of anydesired form. The body 2| is wheelless and no portion of the body is in contact withithe surface of the base l0 so tha't any frictional forces tenduing to retard the forward movementzofithezve- 'hicle'2l are held 'touaminimum; It v.will be understood that the body 2| may be in. the form I of'ian' automobile, truck, locomotive, figure or any other desired configuration. Also, it"will, of --course, be understood that the entirevehicular body'lt'may be formed-entirely of"A1nico;v alloy-or'of other permanent magnet material supported above the surface 10a; I 551* lu the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, an alternating current -of --low voltage and high amperage is passedthrough the-conductors. I 3 to cause the permanent magnet 12 to vibrate,as has been -hereinbefore described. This vibration isimparted: to the bristles. l8: and the magneticiunits "lt'move with more orless rapidity and;.uni-

formity across the surface of the. base .lfliin a f path'following that outlined by. the magnetic :material H. In Figure 2 the conductor...|3' de- .:rfines apair of loops meeting at a center: point 2|. It will benoted that the loops of .magnetic material ll terminate, as at 22,:with'out' meeting. The reason for this gap in the loops willbereadily 7 :.understood from the .fact. that, r if. the loops-met, :the magnetic units l2 would be attracted by both strands of magnetic-material atthe juncture of the loops. --By providing the--break--22; divergent force's of attraction upon the-permanentmagnet l2 are minimized and the magnet l2 following along any one of the strips or strands of magnetic material will have sufiicient momentum to be carried across the gap in a direction constituting a continuation of its former path.

In the modification of the present invention as embodied in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, the permanent magnets are mechanically vibrated upon the surface of a base which may be formed of any desirable material, preferably non-magnetic. The base 25 is preferably, but not necessarily, resiliently supported by any suitable means, such as by coil springs 26, mounted at each corner thereof. Alternatively the base 25 may be deformed so that it is supported by its edge portions with its center portion raised.

As shown in Figure '7, a closed loop 21 of magnetic material, such as a soft iron wire, is provided to underlie the base 25 in a manner hereinbefore described. A plate 28 of magnetizable material, such as soft iron, is secured to the undersurface of the base 25 in a. central position. An electromagnet 29 having upstanding soft iron pole pieces 30 seated upon insulating blocks 3| and resting upon a supporting member 32 is provided to underlie the soft iron plate 28. A coil 33 of the magnet 29 is connected through conductors 34 to a suitable source of electricity, such as an alternating current. The electromagnet 29 is preferably positioned beneath the surface so that, when the coil springs 28 are relaxed, the iron plate 28 is slightly spaced from, but within the magnetic lines of flux of, the pole pieces 30. The plate 28 and the magnet 25- may be suitably protected against possible damage by a cylindrical flange 35 depending from the undersurface of the base 25 to surround these elements.

The operation of the device illustrated in Figures 6 and '7 is extremely simple and is analogous to that hereinbefore described. Upon the connection of the conductors 34 to a source of alternating current, the magnetic field of the electromagnet 29 is alternately energized in opposite directions in accordance with the change of direction of flow of the alternating current. The electromagnet thus alternately attracts and r pels the plate 28 of magnetizable material and the base 25 is vibrated vertically upon the springs 26. An object, such as a permanent magnet, placed on the base 25 will vibrate with the base and if the magnet is resiliently supported in the manner of those shown in Figures 3-5, inclusive, of the drawings, it will move across the surface 25a of the base 25 in the manner hereinbefore described. The moving magnets will follow the path defined by the strip or wire of magnetizable material 21 underlying the base 25 to define the path along which the magnets are to travel. Instead of an alternating current, a direct current with a suitable make-and-break device may be employed to energize the electromagnet.

Thus, it may be seen that I have provided a toy vehicular system wherein a permanent magnet or an object embodying a permanent magnet may be propelled along a predetermined path defined by magnetizable material underlying the surface upon which the object is placed. The operation of the two embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein is essentially identical, since in each case a magnet is caused to vibrate while resiliently supported upon the base surface and is guided therealong by magnetizable material disposed in a predetermined path in proximity thereto.

It will, of course, be understood that various 6 details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A toy comprising a substantially flat supporting base of non-magnetic material, a permanent magnet, resilient mounting means secured to said magnet at a point in advance of the center of gravity of said magnet and extending rearwardly therebeyond for supporting said magnet in spaced relation to the upper surface of said base, a conduetor connected to a source of alternating current and extending beneath said base for causing the magnet to vibrate in a vertical plane when placed within the electrical field set up by said conductor, the magnet having a translatory motion imparted thereto by its overbalanced support on said mounting means and being moved in one direction only by the resilient mounting means contacting the surface of said base, and ferromagnetic material disposed beneath said base adjacent said conductor and Within the magnetic field of said magnet for determining the path along which said magnet is moved.

2. A toy comprising a substantially flat supporting base of non-magnetic material, a permanent magnet, flexible bristle filaments secured to said magnet and extending therebeyond for supporting said magnet from a point forward of the magnet center of gravity in spaced relation to the upper surface of said base, a conductor connected to a suitable source of low voltage, high amperage alternating current and disposed beneath said surface for causing said magnet to vibrate in a vertical plane when placed within the electrical field of said conductor, said bristle filaments being inclined to the axis of said magnet to permit only forward movement of said magnet along said surface as the magnet moves therealong due to its vibration and unbalanced condition and a ferromagnetic strip disposed beneath said surface adjacent said conductor for determining the path along which said magnet is moved.

3. A toy vehicular system comprising a substantially flat supporting base of non-magnetic material, a permanent magnet, resilient mounting means carried by said magnet and depending therefrom into contact with said base for supporting said magnet on the upper surface of said base in spaced relation thereto, said mounting means being inclined rearwardly to the axis of said magnet to facilitate movement of the magnet in one direction, and means for vibrating said magnet while thus supported to impart thereto a translatory movement, said means including a conductor carried by said base within the boundary of said base and generally parallel to and adjacent said upper surface thereof disposed beneath the upper surface of said base in proximity to said magnet and connected to a source of alternating electric current for subjecting said magnet to an electrical field of a1- ternately reversed polarity.

4. A toy vehicular system comprising a supporting base of non-magnetic material, a toy vehicular body, a permanent magnet carried by said body, resilient mounting means also carried by said body for contacting said base to support said body in spaced relation thereto, a conductor connected to a source of alternating electrical current in proximity to said magnet for causing said magnet to vibrate vertically when placed *inolin'ci iafwafdlyWiiith respecfito' the 5.215 of said Vehicle toIiinit movement 'thfbf' to a 'for- Waid diieet'ion' only, ajonductor oari-i'ed" by said "fiasewithin 'tl e'boii r'iflary or "said bis'a'xid' sub- 's'tahtially 'in' its jqlafia nians for flowing a eur- -"i'ei1tof"fli1oti1atifig' 'inteh'si'ty' through Said "fo'on- (motor to cause said magnet wfieninj'p'roiiimity to said ponductorto Vioratefandfai ferromagnetic strip also partied bysaid base 'withintheboiindf'a'ry of said ba'sand 'substaiiti'allyin its ifl'a'ne for giiiding said body a1ong"a"pfi'deteimined path, said ferromagnetic strip being adjacent 'said conductor and laterally displae'edtherefrbm so that vibration of "said magnet induced therein by' said current .flowingthi'ou'gh said Conductor will effect magnet vibration'in a plane at right'an'gles ."to the said conductor, said vibrations havin an 'j'a'ppreiable vertical component relative to'said ""base. 7

63A my psmplaismg a support sasebs nonfnag ntio ma't'ii'al halving" a""gnra11y"fiat upper fsiiirab ap gionjgatdmeriipiar qr ferfoma hetic rnaterial fixedto' samba'sewnm'n the boundary thereof nd 'general-1y parallel to ah'dfia'dj a'cent said upbfr' surface, a permanent magnet Having eon ctihg said'suriace at *spac'edpoirits "on" bpposipe sides of: sa d elongated 'nfembeffor "siip- 'por'ting"s a id magnet for "Horizontal movement, "and means for arresting rlativeiiibratory move- "inentfof saidb'a'se and magnet toward"andaway fioin' adh other.

'7. 'Aftoy as defined 'by slain!" 6'" in "which said mansffor' fiecting relative vibratory 'm'ovenfi'ent 'n'etic means forvibrating'said Base.

JEAN"M.

"REFERENCES CITED file" of this patents UNITED "sTATEsPATENTs 

